The Latin American international investment and insurance marketplace is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with the demand for protection of assets amid volatile political and economic backdrops as necessary in 2020 as it ever was.
Across the Latin American region, the need for both products and advice is on the rise.
The inaugural International Investment Latin America Forum will look at where the industry is heading, the challenges and opportunities for the industry in the region, and how advisers, brokers and product providers are adapting to political and regulatory changes.The event will take place on Tuesday, 6th June , Miami.

The inaugural International Investment London Forum will look at where the industry is heading, the challenges and opportunities for the industry in the region, and how advisers, brokers and product providers are adapting to political and regulatory changes.The event will take place on Thursday, 30th April at the South Place Hotel, London.

The 21st International Investment Awards will take place on 8th October 2020, at One Whitehall Place, London. The II Awards are the longest-running event of their kind and last year saw a record number of categories and entries.

Russia continues to face the oil price challenge

The Russian economy contracted 0.6% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2016, in line with our forecast but a better performance than expected by the market. The number is also an improvement on the first quarter reading of a 1.2% contraction.

As this is an advance reading, there is no breakdown available so the drivers of the improved performance can only be inferred from higher frequency data.

Industrial production has expanded throughout the quarter in year-on-year terms as it recovers from low levels. This has likely been helped in part by a weaker currency; exports are on an improving path, though still down year-on-year. Retail sales are still anaemic, with the consumer facing headwinds from high unemployment, so consumption is unlikely to have been particularly strong.

Gradual recovery

The outlook from here remains one of gradual recovery, recent oil price weakness notwithstanding. We expect positive year-on-year growth by Q4 this year, and a positive overall growth performance in 2017, though still muted. The worst of the oil price crash effects may be over, but Russia’s economy needs to address structural imbalances if it is going to grow strongly in a world of cheaper oil.

Renewed hostilities with Ukraine

I think at this point the macroeconomic impact is zero. Depending on how events unfold it could harden European attitudes towards Russia and result in diminished hopes on sanctions ending, but it’s really too soon to say.